Norman Yakeleya

The Minister indicated there are other sources that can be tapped into of NGO-type of funding by the band councils or regional corporations. I want to ask, I know there was a request by the band council of Tulita for emergency shelters to the Minister, but we just couldn’t get $10,000 for the community and now we have to wait again for another fiscal year. These type of situations that we run into we have to get our foot into the door with NGOs. I asked the Minister about working with the health boards in the communities to establish strong NGO support in our communities where we can get the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last couple of decades many programs that were once provided by the NWT have been turned over to non-government organizations to deliver, known as NGOs. NGOs would also offer additional programs. These programs are vital as they improve the quality of life for people in the North. Many are programs that provide social services. For example, in the NWT our family assistance and counselling, emergency and transitional housing for homeless families, shelters for women and children, services for adults with disabilities and mental health issues and quite a few...

Would the Minister then inform the House and myself as soon as there is a deal that’s going to be satisfactory to both sides on this issue?

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 8.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Interesting response in terms of the health benefits. In my Member’s statement I talked about the various programs the federal government has for aboriginal people, the GNWT has for the Metis people, and now we’re talking about the non-aboriginal health benefits here. I would like to ask the Minister, if we don’t do anything, would these benefits that are extended exceed the other benefits that people have such as the ones that we’re talking about, the ones who do have the ability to pay. That’s what I’m looking at in this program here. Will that exceed what the...

I want to ask the Minister a technical question. How much does it cost the government to top up payments for people who already have 80 percent coverage of their drugs and earn large incomes?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the supplementary health benefits. I know that some of the Members may be surprised that I’m talking about this, because the Sahtu communities are a majority of aboriginal communities and maybe the supp health benefits programs are not such a great concern.

Sahtu people have access to First Nation and Inuit benefit programs administrated by Health Canada. Most aboriginal people consider that this obligation flows from our treaty rights as First Nations people. The provision of a medicine chest is an obligation of the federal government, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank Mr. Bromley for bringing this motion to the floor. I certainly will be supporting it. I would like to speak about the elimination of handling fees for the collection of milk containers under the NWT Beverage Container Program, Mr. Speaker.

Under the existing NWT Beverage Container Program, when residents return their beverage containers, they receive a refund. Their refund is only about 60 percent of the amount the resident paid for the container. Some of the remaining funds go to support environmental issues.

We know that drinking pop is bad for our population...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of ENR. I want to ask the Minister regarding the deal with the Yellowknives First Nation on the caribou issue. The Minister did indicate to the House that there was an offer and I want to know if the offer was taken. Is there a deal or no deal?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to follow up with the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Minister did indicate to the House that March is National Nutrition Month. I want to ask the Minister in terms of going back to the issue of having traditional foods at the Stanton Territorial Hospital and other facilities. I want to ask the Minister in terms of instructing her officials to start looking at possible ways of having the traditional foods such as fish, for example, starting to be served at the hospital for clients who are of aboriginal descent who are at the hospital...